Tappable Pine Trees

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Program:
PETRO
Award:
$6,995,040
Location:
Gainesville, Florida
Status:
ALUMNI
Project Term:
01/01/2012 - 09/09/2017

Technology Description:

The University of Florida is working to increase the amount of turpentine in harvested pine from 4% to 20% of its dry weight. While enhanced feedstocks for biofuels have generally focused on fuel production from leafy plants and grasses, the University of Florida is experimenting with enhancing fuel production in a species of pine that is currently used in the paper pulping industry. Pine trees naturally produce around 3-5% terpene content in the wood—terpenes are the energy-dense fuel molecules that are the predominant components of turpentine. The team aims to increase the terpene storage potential and production capacity while improving the terpene composition to a point at which the trees could be tapped while alive, like sugar maples. Growth and production from these trees will take years, but this pioneering technology could have significant impact in making available an economical and domestic source of aviation and diesel biofuels.

Potential Impact:

If successful, the University of Florida's project could make pine trees sources of fuel precursors for the domestic production of aviation and diesel biofuels, enabling large-scale production of replacements for petroleum-based fuels.

Security:

The transportation sector accounts for nearly all of our petroleum imports. Providing an advanced biofuels alternative to petroleum will allow the U.S. to reduce these imports, improving our energy independence.

Environment:

More than 25% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S. come from the transportation sector. Because plants naturally absorb CO2 as they grow, the level of greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels is less than half that of petroleum fuels.

Economy:

The U.S. imports nearly $1 billion in petroleum each day, accounting for the single largest factor in our trade balance with the rest of the world. Biofuels can be produced domestically, allowing us to keep more dollars at home.

Contact

ARPA-E Program Director:
Dr. Joe Cornelius
Project Contact:
Prof. Gary Peter
Press and General Inquiries Email:
ARPA-E-Comms@hq.doe.gov
Project Contact Email:
gfpeter@ufl.edu

Partners

National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Arborgen
University of California, Berkeley

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Release Date:
04/20/2011